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Man Sentenced for Threatening Email to Safeguarding Minister
In a recent court ruling, a 39-year-old man has received a prison sentence for sending a threatening email to Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, just a day after she faced criticism from Elon Musk, the owner of X. Jack Bennett, hailing from Seaton, Devon, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of malicious communications at Exeter magistrates court on Tuesday.
The email in question was dispatched on January 2, following Musk’s public statements suggesting that Phillips should be imprisoned due to her perceived inaction regarding child sexual exploitation inquiries in Oldham. Musk further labeled her as a “rape genocide apologist,” creating a toxic atmosphere in which Bennett’s communication was sent.
In response to the situation, the Prime Minister indicated that such remarks crossed a significant line and implied that Musk’s comments had incited threats against Phillips. Following his guilty plea, District Judge Smith sentenced Bennett to 28 weeks in prison, noting the distress experienced by Phillips due to the email.
Judge Smith remarked, “[She] was concerned for your potential to escalate or to encourage others for violence against her, having in her mind the murder of her colleague Jo Cox.” This emphasizes the serious implications of online rhetoric in today’s climate, where public figures often face harassment and threats spurred by incendiary speech.
Alongside threatening communications to Phillips, Bennett also admitted to sending racist and derogatory emails to Sir Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, and Matt Twist, an assistant commissioner with the Metropolitan Police, in early 2024. The court revealed that Bennett’s troubling behavior started as he became involved in online right-wing propaganda during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The judge condemned Bennett’s communications, describing them as “utterly deplorable, foul and abusive,” filled with hate speech and intolerance, particularly targeting ethnic minorities, including Muslims. His rhetoric revealed a deep-seated disdain for those he sought to attack through his emails.
During the hearing, Caroline Salvatore, speaking on behalf of Bennett, noted that he had no prior convictions and was described as neurodivergent and largely socially isolated. She explained that the pandemic had exposed him to radicalizing content online, leading to his intense engagement with extreme viewpoints. The death of his father in 2023 served as a pivotal moment that worsened his mental withdrawal and online activity.
Salvatore emphasized that Bennett was motivated by frustrations related to the perceived incompetence of his email recipients, although he recognized that his approach was offensive and acknowledged his wrongdoing.
Ultimately, Bennett faced charges of four counts of sending malicious communications and one count of utilizing a public communication network to transmit offensive emails. Representing Phillips in court, Hannah Cotton highlighted the severe nature of the abuse in Bennett’s messages, which also included significant racist attacks directed at public officials. Following the proceedings, the judge approved a five-year restraining order against Bennett, underscoring the serious nature and impact of his actions.
Source
www.theguardian.com